TECHNICAL FIELD AND PRIOR ART

The invention relates to a frame for a weaving machine with a blowing system for removing process dust from a fabric area on a weaving machine.

In the context of the application, the expression process dust is used to describe the dust, fluffs and/or thread ends generated or caused in a weaving process.

It is generally known to provide a frame of a weaving machine with a blowing system comprising two flexible pipes fitted at their free ends with blowing nozzles. The two pipes with the blowing nozzles are used to direct an airflow to opposite sides of the frame to remove the process dust.

The pipes are attached to a mounting bar of the frame, which mounting bar is arranged above the fabric area. In the context of the application, the fabric area is defined as an area of a woven fabric and of warp threads neighboring a beat-up line, wherein a section of the fabric, which section extends between the warp threads and a fabric take-up system, and a section of the warp threads, which section extends from the beat-up line, are arranged in the fabric area. The mounting bar is arranged above the fabric area and in a height direction higher than the fabric take-up system.

Known mounting bars are configured so that weaving machine devices can be fixed thereto. Weaving machine devices to be fixed to the mounting bar include, but are not limited to, harness guides, a selvedge device, a pick repair device, an air supply device, a lamp, and others.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide a frame for a weaving machine with an improved blowing system for removing process dust from a fabric area on a weaving machine. It is a further object of the invention to provide a weaving machine with such a frame.

These objects are solved by the frame and the weaving machine with the features of claims 1 and 15. Preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent claims. According to a first aspect, a frame for a weaving machine with a blowing system for removing process dust from a fabric area on a weaving machine is provided, wherein the frame comprises a mounting bar arranged above the fabric area, and wherein the mounting bar is a tubular profile adapted to serve as a conduit for a fluid for the blowing system.

Throughout this specification and the following claims, the indefinite article "a" or "an" means "one or more". In addition, throughout this specification and the following claims, the expressions “first” and “second” are only used to distinguish one element from another element and not to indicate any order of the elements.

The fluid in embodiments is blowing air, which is at a relative low pressure, for example a pressure in a range of 1 ,2 bar to 1 ,5 bar that allows to blow away process dust to a side part of the frame.

The frame in embodiments further comprises two side parts and a crossbar connecting the two side parts to each other.

In order to adapt the tubular profile to serve as a conduit for a fluid, in an embodiment, end faces of the tubular profile are closed against the ambient and through holes in a side wall of the tubular profile are omitted and/or sealed off.

By using the tubular profile as a conduit for a fluid, the fluid can be transmitted from one side of the frame to the opposite side. Hence, a number of loose ducts, flexible pipes or tubes on the weaving machine can be reduced.

In embodiments, the mounting bar is further configured so that weaving machine devices can be fixed thereto.

In an embodiment, a blowing nozzle is provided, which blowing nozzle is fixed to the tubular profile and fluidly connected to the interior of the tubular profile, wherein in particular two or more blowing nozzles are provided for blowing process dust to opposite sides of the frame. The blowing nozzle is fixed to the tubular profile and provides a directed airflow for removing process dust from the fabric and/or the warp threads. In addition, in embodiments one or more additional blowing nozzles are provided to blow on a weft cutter arranged at an insertion side of the frame and/or to blow on a gripper opener at the opposite side, in order to remove process dust.

In an embodiment, the tubular profile is provided with a number of connection openings to which a blowing nozzle can be fixed, wherein unused connection openings can be sealed off using a sealing. This allows an operator to choose one, two or more of the number of connection openings to which the blowing nozzles are fixed in accordance with a particular set-up of the weaving machine, in particular in accordance with a weaving width.

In an embodiment, a side, in particular a front side, of the tubular profile is provided with a longitudinal recess, wherein a number of connection openings is provided in the longitudinal recess to which connection openings, blowing nozzles can be attached, wherein unused connection openings are sealed off using a sealing. The longitudinal recess and the sealing are sized such that the sealing does not or only marginally protrude from the front side of the tubular profile, so that other devices can be shifted across sealed off connection openings.

In an embodiment, the blowing nozzle can be rotatably fixed to the tubular profile, wherein the blowing nozzle fixed to the tubular profile is rotatable over 360° or over a limited angular range. This allows an adjustment of a direction of the airflow.

In an embodiment, a suction tube is provided at a side of the frame, which suction tube is adapted to suck away process dust blown to the side of the frame by the blowing nozzle.

In particular, in embodiments two suction tubes are provided, one suction tube at a first side of the frame and another suction tube at an opposite second side of the frame, wherein an aspirator is provided at the first side of the frame, in particular at the insertion side, wherein the suction tube arranged at the second side of the frame is connected to the aspirator via a rigid tube, wherein the rigid tube in particular is attached to a crossbar of the frame. In an embodiment, the aspirator also provides blowing air for the one or more blowing nozzles.

In an embodiment, a flexible tube is connected to the tubular profile for supplying the fluid to the tubular profile. In an embodiment, the flexible tube connects the tubular profile to an air supply system for supplying blowing air to the tubular profile. The air supply system is for example the aspirator that blows sucked air to the flexible tube, which sucked air has passed a filter.

In an embodiment, an interior of the tubular profile is divided to form two or more separate conduits. Hence, two or more different fluids, which fluids can be used for different devices, can be supplied via the tubular profile, thereby minimizing the number of loose ducts, flexible pipes or tubes. In an embodiment, the two or more fluids supplied via the tubular profile differ in pressure.

In an embodiment, the tubular profile has a polygonal cross-section, in particular a rectangular cross-section with two long sides and two short sides, wherein one long side is facing to a front of the frame and another long side is facing to a back of the frame, and wherein one short side is facing up and another short side is facing down. The weaving machine devices, for example harness guides, a selvedge device, a pick repair device comprising one or more air valves, an air supply device, a lamp, and others, can be attached to the tubular profile using sleeves without the necessity of through holes in the tubular profile. In an alternative, the weaving machine devices can be attached by providing through holes, wherein the connection is fluid-tightly sealed. In an embodiment, the blowing nozzle or each one of the blowing nozzles is fixed to the long side of the tubular profile facing to a front of the frame.

In an embodiment, a longitudinal groove is provided on one or more of the sides of the tubular profile. The longitudinal groove allows a fixation element to engage the tubular profile for fixing a weaving machine device to the tubular profile without the necessity that the fixation element surrounds the mounting bar.

In an embodiment, the tubular profile is provided on at least two sides with a longitudinal groove. The two longitudinal grooves allow that a fixation element for attaching the tubular profile to a side part of the frame and/or for fixing a weaving machine device to the tubular profile can clamp the tubular profile with a form fit. Thereby a need for an additional machining of the tubular profile for providing through holes or similar elements in order to attach the tubular profile to the side part and/or in order to fix a weaving machine device to the tubular profile can be omitted.

The fixation element in an embodiment is an arc-shaped or a U-shaped bracket having inwardly pointed tips engaging the longitudinal grooves. In other embodiments, the fixation element has a dovetail-shaped groove bordered by two fingers that can engage two longitudinal grooves provided at two distinct sides of the tubular profile.

In an embodiment, the tubular profile has a first side and a second side, which second side is not immediately adjacent the first side, wherein each of the first side and the second side is bordered at opposite edges by two longitudinal grooves, so that two weaving machine devices can be fixed to the tubular profile at the same width position of the frame using a first fixation element that clamps the first weaving machine device to the tubular profile with a form fit at the first side of the tubular profile and a second fixation element that clamps the second weaving machine device to the tubular profile with a form fit at the second side of the tubular profile.

The weaving machine devices arranged at the first side and the second side can each be shifted into a desired position, wherein - if not restricted by the size or shape of the weaving machine devices itself - the weaving machine devices can pass each other along the tubular profile. Hence, each weaving machine device can be repositioned without the necessity of dismounting this weaving machine device and/or any other of the weaving machine devices.

In an embodiment, the tubular profile has a rectangular cross-section with two long sides and two short sides, wherein each of the long sides and each of the short sides is bordered at opposite edges by longitudinal grooves. In other words, each of the four sides of the tubular profile having a rectangular cross-section is provided with at least one longitudinal groove. This allows for a high flexibility for attaching different weaving machine devices to the mounting bar. This also allows that an arc-shaped or a U-shaped fixation element having inwardly pointing tips can be clamped to one of the long sides or to one of the short sides.

In an embodiment, the short sides are each provided with exactly one longitudinal groove bordering the opposite edges of both long sides. This allows for a larger longitudinal groove on the short sides without the necessity of increasing the size of the tubular profile.

In an embodiment, at least one of the longitudinal grooves at the short sides is adapted for receiving an elongated flexible element, such as a cable, a hose, a flexible pipe, a tube and/or a duct. Hence, the elongated flexible element can be securely guided and the number of unsecured or loose elongated flexible elements at the weaving machine can be reduced.

In an embodiment, the tubular profile is provided with a number of connection openings for supplying fluid to a weaving machine device via the tubular profile.

In an embodiment, the frame comprises a first side part and a second side part, wherein the tubular profile is attached to the first side part via a first support and/or to the second side part via a second support.

According to a second aspect, a weaving machine comprising a frame with a blowing system for removing process dust from a fabric area is provided, the frame comprising a mounting bar arranged above the fabric area, which mounting bar is configured so that weaving machine devices can be fixed thereto, wherein the mounting bar is a tubular profile adapted to serve as a conduit for a fluid for the blowing system. The weaving machine can be a rapier weaving machine or an air-jet weaving machine. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following, embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Throughout the drawings, the same elements will be denoted by the same reference numerals. The figures show:

Fig. 1 parts of a weaving machine and a frame comprising a mounting bar in the form of a tubular profile arranged above a fabric area of the weaving machine;

Fig. 2 the frame of Fig. 1 comprising two side parts, a crossbeam connecting the side parts, and a tubular profile arranged above a fabric area;

Fig. 3 a front view of the tubular profile of Fig. 1 with two supports for attaching the tubular profile to the side parts of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 4 a front view of the tubular profile with two blowing nozzles, wherein a position of one of the blowing nozzles is shifted with respect to Fig. 3

Fig. 5 a detail of the tubular profile near a blowing nozzle;

Fig. 6 the detail of Fig. 5 in exploded view;

Fig. 7 a detail of Fig. 1 showing a part of the tubular profile, a part of a first support, and a part of a flexible air supply duct;

Fig. 8 a cross-sectional view of the tubular profile of Fig. 7 attached to the support with one additional elongated flexible element received in a longitudinal groove provided at an upper short side of the tubular profile;

Fig. 9 a cross-sectional view of the tubular profile of Fig. 1 with a blowing nozzle, wherein the tubular profile is attached to a support using two jaws;

Fig. 10 the frame of Fig. 2 with several weaving machine devices attached thereto;

Fig. 11 a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of a tubular profile having an interior that is divided in two sections via a separation wall and onto which a weaving machine device is attached; Fig. 12 a frame for a weaving machine comprising two side parts, a crossbeam connecting the side parts, and two tubular profiles, each tubular profile is arranged above a fabric area; and

Fig. 13 parts of a weaving machine and a frame comprising a mounting bar in the form of a tubular profile arranged above a fabric area of the weaving machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Fig. 1 schematically shows parts of a weaving machine, namely a warp beam 1 , a back rest 3, a fabric take-up system 5 including a breast beam 7, a blowing system 9 for removing process dust, and a frame 21 with a mounting bar, which mounting bar is a tubular profile 11. Fig. 2 shows the frame 21 and the blowing system 9 in isolation.

The frame 21 comprises a first side part 23, a second side part 25, a cross beam 27, a first support 29, a second support 31 , and the tubular profile 11. The tubular profile 11 is attached to the first side part 23 via the first support 29 and to the second side part 25 via the second support 31.

The tubular profile 11 is arranged above a fabric area 13 of the weaving machine, which fabric area 13 is defined as an area of a woven fabric 15 and of warp threads 17 neighboring a beat-up line 19. The tubular profile 11 is arranged in a height direction higher than the fabric take-up system 5. Further, insertion elements 20 are shown, such as grippers mounted on a rapier.

The tubular profile 11 is adapted to serve as a conduit for a fluid for the blowing system 9.

The blowing system 9 comprises an air supply duct 34, for example a flexible tube, which is fluidly connected to the tubular profile 11 , and several blowing nozzles 35. In the embodiment shown two blowing nozzles 35, which are attached to the tubular profile 11 and fluidly connected to the interior of the tubular profile 11 are shown. A blowing fluid, such as blowing air, is supplied via a vertically extending air supply duct 33, the air supply duct 34 connected to the tubular profile 11 , and the tubular profile 11 to the blowing nozzles 35. The blowing nozzles 35 are oriented for providing a directed airflow blowing on the fabric area 13 for removing process dust from the fabric area 13. In the embodiment shown, the two blowing nozzles 35 are oriented for blowing process dust to opposite sides of the frame 21 .

At the opposite sides of the frame 21 , suction tubes 32, 37 are provided. The suction tubes 32, 37 can be adapted to suck away process dust blown to the two sides of the frame 21 by the blowing nozzles 35. The suction tubes 32, 37 can also be adapted to suck and/or to hold thread ends of inserted weft threads. In the embodiment shown, at an insertion side of the weaving machine shown on the left in Figs. 1 and 2, an aspirator 38 is provided, wherein a first suction tube 32 arranged at the insertion side is connected via a filter unit 39 to the aspirator 38. In the embodiment shown, the air supply duct 34 is also fluidly connected to the aspirator 38 and the aspirator 38 is used as a source for the blowing air supplied to the blowing nozzles 35. In the embodiment shown, a second suction tube 37 arranged at the opposite side of the weaving machine shown on the right in Figs. 1 and 2 is connected via a rigid tube 36 that runs below the fabric area 13 to the filter unit 39 and the aspirator 38. The rigid tube 36 is fixed via brackets 40 to the cross beam 27 of the frame 21.

Fig. 3 and 4 show the tubular profile 11 of Fig. 1 together with the two supports 29, 31 for attaching the tubular profile 11 to the side parts 23, 25 of the frame 21 (see Figs. 1 and 2). Figs. 5 and 6 show a detail of the tubular profile 11.

As shown in Figs. 3 to 6, the tubular profile 11 has a number of connection openings 41 , in the embodiment shown six connection openings 41 , wherein the connection openings 41 are arranged in two triples. The blowing nozzles 35 can be selectively connected to either one of the number of connection openings 41. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, the two blowing nozzles 35 are attached to the two outermost connection openings 41. In contrast, in the embodiment shown in Fig. 4, the blowing nozzle 35 at a right side in the drawing plane is attached to the innermost connection opening 41 of the three connection openings 41 at the right side.

As shown in. Fig. 6, in the embodiment shown, the connection openings 41 each comprise a slot 42, wherein a coupling of the blowing nozzles 35 comprises a beam 43 with a screw thread that can be fitted into the slot 42 and fixed to the blowing nozzle 35 using a screw 45. A sealing ring 44 is arranged between the tubular profile 11 and the blowing nozzle 35. Unused connection openings 41 are sealed off using sealings 47. This allows to fix rotatably each blowing nozzle 35 in any angular position to the tubular profile 11 , wherein the blowing nozzle 35 to be fixed to the tubular profile 11 is rotatable over 360° or over a limited angular range.

The beam 43 allows the blowing nozzle 35 to be rotatably fixed to the tubular profile 11 , wherein an orientation of the blowing nozzle 35 with respect to the tubular profile 11 can be adjusted to direct an airflow from the blowing nozzle 35 to a desired region of the fabric area 13.

Fig. 7 shows a detail of Fig. 1 showing a part of the tubular profile 11 , a part of the first support

29, and a part of the air supply duct 34 from behind. As shown in Fig. 7, in order to use the tubular profile 11 as a conduit for a fluid, each end face 49 of the tubular profile 11 is closed against the ambient using a closing plate 50. As further shown in Fig. 7, the tubular profile 11 is attached to the support 29 using a cross-plate 51 and screws 52.

Fig. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of the tubular profile 11 of Fig. 7 attached to the support 29 using the cross-plate 51. As shown in Fig. 8, opposite the cross-plate 51 , the tubular profile 11 is provided with an opening 53, wherein a screwdriver (not shown) can be inserted via the opening 53 in order to tighten the screw 52 for fixing the tubular profile 11 to the cross-plate 51. The opening 53 is sealed using a sealing 54. Another sealing 55 is provided around the screw 52.

As further shown in Fig. 8, the tubular profile 11 shown in Figs. 1 to 8 has an essentially rectangular cross-section with two long sides 56, 66 and two short sides 57, 67, wherein the tubular profile 11 is oriented such that the first short side 57 is facing up and the second short side 67 is facing down. As shown in Fig. 8, the short sides 57, 67 are each provided with a longitudinal groove 58. As seen in Figs. 1 and 2, a first long side 56 is facing to a front of the frame 21 . As seen in Fig. 7 a second long side 66 is facing to a back of the frame 21 (see Figs. 1 and 2). In the embodiment shown, the longitudinal grooves 58 at the short sides 57, 58 are adapted for receiving an elongated flexible element 60, such as a cable, a hose, a flexible pipe, a tube and/or a duct. Hence, the elongated flexible element 60 can be securely guided in the longitudinal groove 58 across a width of the weaving machine. Further, each of the long sides 56, 66 is bordered at opposite edges by longitudinal grooves 58, and each of the short sides 57, 67 is bordered at opposite edges by a longitudinal groove 69. In particular, the short sides 57, 67 are each provided with one longitudinal groove 58 bordering the opposite edges of both long sides 56, 66. At least one of the longitudinal grooves 58 at the short sides 57, 67 is adapted for receiving an elongated flexible element 60, such as a cable, a hose, a flexible pipe, a tube and/or a duct.

Fig. 9 shows a cross-sectional view of the tubular profile 11 of Figs. 1 to 8 with a blowing nozzle 35, wherein in contrast to Figs. 1 to 8, the tubular profile 11 is attached to the support 29 using two jaws 61 , 63, which engage the longitudinal grooves 58 provided at the short sides 57, 67 of the tubular profile 11 . The blowing nozzle 35 is fixed to the first long side 56 of the tubular profile 11 facing to a front of the frame 21 of the weaving machine (see Figs. 1 and 2). In the embodiment shown in Fig. 9, a first jaw 61 is attached fixedly to the support 29 and engages the longitudinal groove 58 provided at the second short side 67 facing down. A second jaw 63 is moveable in the horizontal direction relative to the first jaw 61 , which second jaw 63 is attached with a screw 62 to the first jaw 61 and engages the longitudinal groove 58 provided at the first short side 57 facing up. The tubular profile 11 in embodiments is further configured so that weaving machine devices, such as harness guides, a selvedge device, a pick repair device, an air supply device, a lamp, and others, can be fixed thereto.

Fig. 10 shows the frame 21 for the weaving machine of Fig. 2 with several weaving machine devices 64, 65 attached thereto, wherein only the blowing nozzles 35 of the blowing system are shown in Fig. 10.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 10, four weaving machine devices 64, 65 are mounted to the tubular profile 11. The two weaving machine devices 64 arranged closer to the side parts 23, 25 in the embodiment shown are selvedge devices and the two weaving machine devices 65 arranged closer to a center of the frame 21 are harness guides 65. However, further and/or different weaving machine devices can be attached to the tubular profile 11 , for example a pick repair device comprising one or more air valves, an air supply device, a lamp, and others. The weaving machine devices 64 can be fixed to the tubular profile 11 by two jaws as shown in Fig. 9, while the weaving machine devices 65 can be fixed to the tubular profile 11 using screws similar as shown for the cross-plate 51 shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 shows a cross-sectional view of a tubular profile 11 similar to the tubular profile of Figs. 1 to 10 with a blowing nozzle 35, wherein in contrast to Figs. 1 to 10, an interior of the tubular profile 11 is divided using a horizontal separation wall 68 arranged in parallel to the short sides 57, 67 of the tubular profile 11. An interior of the tubular profile 11 arranged below the separation wall 68 functions as a conduit for a blowing fluid of the blowing system 9 (see Figs. 1 and 2), and the blowing nozzle 35 is fluidly connected to this part of the interior arranged below the separation wall 68. An interior of the tubular profile 11 arranged above the separation wall 68 in embodiments is used as a second conduit for a second fluid. As shown in Fig. 11 , a weaving machine device 64 can be attached to the tubular profile 11 , wherein the weaving machine device 64 in the embodiment shown is attached to the tubular profile 11 using two jaws 61 , 63, which engage the longitudinal grooves 58 provided at the short sides 57, 67 of the tubular profile 11. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 11 , a first jaw 61 is attached fixed in position to the weaving machine device 64 and engages the longitudinal groove 58 provided at the second short side 67 facing downwards. A second jaw 63 is moveable in the horizontal direction relative to the first jaw 61 and engages the longitudinal groove 58 provided at the first short side 57 facing upwards.

Fig. 12 shows a further embodiment of a frame 21 of a weaving machine. The frame 21 according to Fig.12 comprises a first side part 23 and a second side part 25, a cross beam 27, a first support 29, and a second support 31. The frame 21 further comprises two tubular profiles 11 , wherein a first tubular profile 11 is attached to the first side part 23 via the first support 29 and a second tubular profile 11 is attached to the second side part 25 via the second support 31. The frame 21 further comprises a jacquard harness plate 75 supported by the first support 29 and the second support 31.

The two longitudinal profiles 11 are fluidly connected to each other via a tube 78.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 12, both tubular profiles 11 are adapted to serve as a conduit for a fluid. For this purpose, end faces of the tubular profiles 11 are closed against the ambient and through holes in side walls of the tubular profile 11 are sealed off. A fluid can be transmitted from one side of the frame 21 , for example from the insertion side arranged on the left in the drawing plane, to the opposite side arranged on the right in the drawing plane of the frame 21.

In the embodiment shown, the air supply duct 34 is flexible and connected to the first tubular profile 11 attached to the first side part 23 for a fluid supply. The fluid is transmitted via the air supply duct 34 and the first tubular profile 11 to the blowing nozzle 35 attached to the first tubular profile 11 . Further, the fluid is transmitted via the air supply duct 34, the first tubular profile 11 , the tube 78, and the second tubular profile 11 to the blowing nozzle 35 attached to the second tubular profile 11.

Several weaving machine devices such as a pick repair device comprising one or more air valves, an air supply device, and others can be provided with fluid via the tubular profile 11. In the embodiment of Fig. 13 blowing air can be provided via the tubular profile 11 and a duct 71 to a weaving machine device 70, such as a waste blowing device that is arranged near a weft cutter 72 (not shown in detail) in order to blow away process dust, such as weft threads ends from the weft cutter 72. The weaving machine device 70 and the weft cutter 72 are both arranged near the beat-up line 19 extending between the warp threads 17 and the woven fabric 15, which woven fabric 15 is wound onto a fabric beam 6, and near an edge of the woven fabric 15 located at the insertion side.

In an alternative not shown, at one or more of the connection openings 41 , a blowing device 35 can be provided to blow away process dust. In this way, in the embodiment of Fig. 13, several blowing devices 35 can be provided, for example up to six blowing devices 35. In embodiments, near each side part 23, 25 up to three blowing devices 35 oriented for blowing process dust to the side part 23, 25 can be provided. For example, near the first side part 23 three connection openings 41 are provided with one blowing device 35, while near the second side part 25 only two connection openings 41 of the three connection openings 41 are provided with a blowing nozzle 35, for example the connection opening 41 arranged furthest from the second side part 25 and the connection opening 41 arranged nearest to the second side part 25. Of course, in alternative embodiments near each side part 23, 25 one, two, four or more connection openings can be provided. Also, similar as for the weaving machine device 70, another weaving machine device (not shown) can be arranged that is provided with blowing air via a duct that is coupled to one of the connection openings 41 of the tubular profile 11 . In this way the tubular profile 11 serves as a conduit for the blowing air. Similarly, the tubular profile can serve as a conduit for any other fluid.

The embodiments described with reference to Figs. 1 to 12 are only by way of example and numerous variations are conceivable. In particular, features from different embodiments can be combined or replaced without departing from the scope of the invention.